Free Inside Out by Ashley Ladd

Chantal’s support, for stopping her the day she’d had the urge to down a drink when upset over him, she said with fervent conviction, “No, I don’t drink anymore.”
    He nodded. “I know. I’ve talked to your mom.”
    She paused and thought about what he said, not sure she liked it. “You did?”
    He nodded. His voice softened a notch. “I hope you don’t mind. If I didn’t care about you, a lot , I wouldn’t have bothered.”
    His words burned in her heart and melted it. How could she take offence?
    “As for lying, we all get scared. We all have secrets. I forgive you for not telling me. I just wish I’d been someone you felt you could confide everything in. That you felt you could lean on in times of need. I hope I will be from now on. I’m here for you and I want to be here for you forever. I want to be the white knight that slays your dragons.”
    She tried to swallow the smile that played around her lips but failed. “And protects me from scary uncles?”
    “And dries your tears. And stands by you no matter what.”
    Her heart beat so strongly she was certain he must hear it. Her pulse was so strong he must surely feel it in her wrists. “How can I refuse?”
    His thumbs stroked her pulse hypnotically. The overwhelming love in his eyes bewitched her. “I love you, too,” she confessed. “Yes, yes and yes! I’ll marry you.”
    He let out a sigh of relief and a sunny smile split his face. “You don’t know how much I needed to hear you say that.”
    His sunshine warmed her to her core. Her thighs quivered and she wanted much more than just his kisses so she tugged on his hand.
    Instead, he pulled her down to him and into his arms where he knelt on the floor. “Come here, you.”
    The phone in his pocket rang and he scrunched his nose. “Ignore it.”
    “That’s probably my mother or Chantal looking for a progress report.”
    Trey quirked his brow. “Who’s Chantal?”
    “A good friend. I’ll fill you in later.”
    “I’ll give her one later .” Trey pulled her on top of him then rolled over, pinning her to the floor.
    She smiled up at him and batted her lashes. “She’ll just keep calling. If you don’t answer, she’ll hunt you down.”
    He screwed up his lips as if thinking even as his hand insinuated its way into her blouse and caressed her breasts. “Maybe I should rethink joining your family. Or maybe we should move away from here.”
    When his fingers brushed the sensitive aureole of her nipple, she moaned. When his hard cock rubbed against her pussy, she swooned. She sighed in relief when the ringing stopped. When it rang again, however, she knew they’d have no peace until he responded, whether it was her mother or Chantal. “Get the phone.”
    He narrowed his eyes but pulled the ringing annoyance from his pocket. “Who’s this?”
    She rolled her eyes. Then she unbuttoned his jeans and slid her hand inside his pants. She found his cock and ran her fingers down its long length. Then she curled her hand around it and gently pumped.
    Ecstasy lit his eyes before he closed them. He muttered into the phone, “Great! Okay. Thanks.”
    When he hung up, she waited for him to report on the call. When he buried his face in her chest, she asked, “Who was that? What was all that about?”
    He turned his face but didn’t lift his head. “That was Dave from the baseball league. The board just voted and you’re in.”
    She pressed against him and helped him to unbutton her blouse. “I’m in? What do you mean?”
    “I mean,” he said breathlessly as his words began to slur. “The petition worked. You can play ball with us.”
    Feeling very happy and very evil, she beamed at him. She cupped his balls in her hand and gently squeezed. “I want to play ball with you.”
    “Ooh, bad cliché.”
    “Thank you,” she said, smiling against his lips. “You know, you talk too much. Don’t your lips have better things to do?”
    “Much,” he murmured. He pushed her lacy bra aside,